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Meal preparation is a bliss when you can find everything you need with ease! With these ideas for pantry organization, that becomes very much possible!
It feels a lot stressful when you can’t find what you need to prepare dinner.
And then, when ingredients get lost in the pantry, you think you don’t have them. You buy more. Only to find out later that they were just right there – in the pantry!
Oh well… what a waste!
This doesn’t have to happen to you every time. The key is… of course, organizing your pantry! When you do, preparing dinner becomes a bliss.
No more missing ingredients. And more importantly, no more messed-up grocery budget!
So here are 20 ideas for pantry organization to help you get your pantry in order and enjoy preparing meals for your family!
1. Use mason jars to keep your food supplies.
Mason jars can be used in a lot of things today. But the very purpose it was made was to preserve food and keep them safe.
This is why you will find most pantries with abundance of mason jars. And for good reasons.
Mason jars help a lot in meal preparation. You can safely store your already prepared ingredients in the mason jar and keep it in the fridge. Just pull it out during cooking.
Mason jars also keep dry goods fresh and can keep your herbs for much longer.
Mason jars come in a variety of sizes. So choose what is the most appropriate for your pantry.
2. Use mason jars (again) to safely store your spices.
Another important reason for using mason jars to organize the pantry is that it keeps the spices safe and sound, just like your other food supplies.
Now if you don’t have enough vertical space in your pantry, but have plenty of drawers, you can use that drawers instead. Just arrange your mason jars of spices like this.
3. Use mason jars (yup! again!) for cupcake liners.
What a simple idea to store cupcake liners!
Maybe you’re thinking… why haven’t I thought of this before… (haha) I can relate.
But don’t fret much about it. What’s important is that right now, you know this trick already!
So grab those cupcake liners and start keeping them in mason jars! It’s very easy to do, and it keeps the liners really clean!
If you don’t have mason jars yet, or you need more for your pantry, here’s a 4-pack 16-ounce mason jar from Amazon.
Look for other mason jar choices just right here!
4. Glass canisters work great too!
If you’re not a fan of mason jars, you can use plain glass jars instead in organizing your pantry.
They’re easy to use and there’s no latch (if it annoys you). They can store large quantities of food supplies, easy to clean and inexpensive.
Plus… glass jars are stylish so you can fit them in any kitchen style you want.
5. Use tall food containers.
Tall food containers are very flexible. From pasta and grains to baking ingredients and snacks, it works great!
6. Go for rectangular containers!
Glass jars, mason jars included, work great in pantries, but they’re round-shaped.
I like that they’re round-shaped, but sometimes it’s not the most efficient shape for your pantry, especially when you’re in a tight space.
So if your pantry can’t accommodate all those jars, go for rectangular tubs! This allows you to use every inch of your space.
Of course there are glass versions of these rectangular containers, so if you prefer to use glass, you got it!
7. Utilize file holders.
Who says that a file holder is only good for the office?
Works nice too in sorting your pantry supplies!
This makes keeping those tall supplies really easy. Just arrange them in a vertical position and you’re good!
Using these folders also makes it super easy to get what you need. Just pull out the file holder where you kept it. When you’re done getting what you need, just push it back.
8. Get some can racks.
Keeping your cans in place can be as easy as this!
Shop for this can rack which can hold up to 36 cans in your pantry.
More can racks can be found here!
9. Magazine racks can also do the trick!
This is one of the smartest ideas for pantry organization. Not to mention simple and practical.
If you have a magazine holder that you don’t need anymore, you can repurpose it into a can holder. Just flat out some bobby pins and use that as stoppers.
If you have more magazine holders, even your spaghetti can be stored in there too!
10. Hang your paper towels.
If you have tall vertical space in your pantry, you can make this work.
You will need 4 eye bolts, 2 bungee cords, and extra effort to set it up.
11. Hang the chips too!
If you want to keep all those chips off the shelf, here’s your solution.
Hang them using command hooks and clips, and that’s a whole lot of freed shelf space!
Not only that, it also helps to “reseal” your chip bags. No need store them in canisters to maintain the crispiness.
Nails and binder clips also work.
Or… just use hangers!
12. Hello Lazy Susan!
Lazy Susan makes it easier to see and get items located at the back of your pantry.
After all, you just spin it and what’s at the back comes right in front of you!
13. Use risers.
Want to see all those cans in just one glance?
Put them in risers! (See the shelf with cans.)
Of course, risers are not only for cans. It’s for everything else that you want to see easily with your naked eye.
Just look at these spices.
14. Install a wire basket at the back of the door.
The back of the pantry’s door is a great space for additional storage. One of the ways you can utilize it is by using a wire basket.
Use it for those oddly-shaped items, those that don’t belong in your group of pantry supplies, or simply as a mere extra storage space.
15. Use a shoe organizer.
Another way you can utilize the space at the back of your pantry’s door is to use a shoe organizer. Use it according to your needs.
Like get your kids’ lunches ready to be packed.
Or store your treats like in a mini-fridge.
Keep your healthier choices safe and sound!
And just another extra storage for the other food supplies!
16. Back-of-the-door organization works for spices too!
If you lack shelf space or drawers for your spices, just install a nice spice rack at the back of the door and you’re good!
Here are more ways you can add storage to your pantry by using over the door organizers. Visit this page for our product recommendations.
17. Hang it under the shelf.
This is probably the most forgotten place in the pantry – that little vacant space under the shelf.
If you have it, use it, especially when you have a small pantry. Again, a wire basket will come in handy.
Look at that bread under the shelf. Genius!
18. Have some baskets and bins.
You really can’t go wrong with baskets! Actually this is my favorite among this list of ideas for pantry organization. Maybe it’s just me – I have a thing with baskets.
Use baskets and bins that are easy to pull out. Place them in your shelves and even on the floor for those extra goodies!
19. Don’t forget the labels!
If you’d go back to every single image that you just went through, you’ll notice that most of them have labels.
Pantry organization isn’t complete without labels. And for good reason.
Labels help in showing you (and not just you, but everyone else in your home) the place for every item in your pantry. It makes it easy to locate and get every item you need.
Loading your groceries also become a lot easier because you can see where each food supply should go. No more guesswork!
20. Add a clipboard with a shopping list.
Having a shopping list always ready makes it so easy to write down whatever it is that you need to buy on your next trip to the grocery store.
In an instant, you can write down whatever you find lacking. This way, you don’t forget it. So always keep a pen handy as well.
Select and combine.
Now that you know the many ways you can organize your pantry, it’s time to put these things into practice!
By trying only one of these ideas for pantry organization, you can already make real difference in your pantry. How much more when you combine these altogether?
So go ahead and select your combinations. And here are various pantries to inspire you and show you how your own pantry can look like after organizing!
Looking for related organization tips? Check out these other posts!
- 10 Smart Ways to Store and Organize Your Spices with Dollar Store Finds
- How to Organize Kitchen Cabinets : 26 Smart Storage Tips You Can Start Today
- 20 Simple Organization Ideas for the Kitchen
- 51 Clever Storage Hacks to Maximize Small Kitchens
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